Ethereal
by Jadira
Summary: A young girl in Egypt is sold as a pleasure slave by her uncle, until a savior comes. Or is he? Tale of the trials and tribulations of one lonely girl.[yaoi, abuse] INCOMPLETE
1. Forgotten Thirst

Jadira: Hey peoples, what's up? 

Tate: bugger off.

Jadira:#growls# Shut up. Sorry everyone! That's my muse, Tate. He's a pain.

#glares # Anyway…I'm new to this, so I'm a bit lost as to how I do this…sweatdrop So to explain a bit, the gang (excluding the girls) are vampires. They can communicate telepathically. That's all for now. I hope you enjoy it!

Tate: I doubt it.

Jadira: hmph. Whatever.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. :.( Chapter One: Forgotten Hunger 

"Kura?" the whisper sounded in his sleep.

"Kuraaa?" the voice sounded impatient. Bakura grunted and rolled over in his sleep.

"Kuuuraaa?" the voice was getting annoying. Still, Bakura ignored it. Half a second later, he suddenly got his arms full of dark tan skin and platinum blonde hair. He gasped as his breath was literally blasted from his lungs.

"Dammit Marik, what do you want?" Bakura asked, trying to blink the sleep from his eyes. He looked down into dark lavender eyes.

Marik pouted at him and crossed his muscled arms across his chest. "Well I'm sor-ry I woke you from your _precious _beauty sleep."

Bakura smiled. "No, I'm sorry. You just startled me, that's all. But seriously, why did you wake me up?"

"I'm hungry Kura!"

Bakura's jaw dropped. "Hungry? You woke me up because you're _hungry_?" He fell back so he was lying on the bed once more. "So go cook something," he muttered.

"Ha ha that's so funny Bakura. You know what I mean. We're all hungry,' Marik replied.

Bakura groaned. "Yes, I know. But we can't keep going into the village and drinking from them. They're bound to notice eventually if people keep disappearing."

"But Kura, I had a brilliant idea!" cried Marik. Bakura stared at him.

"Okay fine! Kaiba had a brilliant idea. He thinks we should only drink from the criminals at the jail. They're going to die anyway."

Bakura frowned. He didn't like the thought of that. They were still people after all, not just criminals.

(Yes I know Bakura.) Bakura jumped at the sound of Marik's voice in his mind. (But we need to feed. We've been doing this for thousands of years. You should be okay with it by now.)

((Alright, fine. What time is it anyway?)) He thought back, communicating telepathically.

"I dunno. About three-ish I guess. When can we go?" asked Marik, speaking aloud.

"Tonight. We'll go when it's dark."

"But we can go now if we wear those cloaks. They'll protect us from the sun."

"But Marik-"

"Come on Kura. Please? Pwetty pwease?" Marik stared up at Bakura, putting on his best puppy face. "Pwease?" he begged.

Bakura squirmed. Marik's puppy face always worked, and he knew it. After a moment of trying to ignore the big, suddenly tear filled eyes, Bakura caved. "Oh very well!" he cried. "Go get the others. And make sure you all wear your cloaks."

"YES!" Marik cheered as he raced out of the room he shared with Bakura.

Bakura shook his head and crawled out of bed.

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Twenty minutes later, he made his way to the front hall of their large mansion, where he was met by seven people wearing long black cloaks. "You all hungry?" he asked, still tired.

They all nodded. "Then let's go. But remember, don't let the sun touch your skin."

"Yes mom," joked a tall vampire named Yami. Bakura snarled at him, showing one pointed fang.

"Bakura, we get it already! Can we go? Me an' Seto are starvin'!"

"No kidding Jou, we all are," Bakura replied. "Shall we?" he asked, mock-bowing to the door. As they all left the house for the stables, Bakura hung back and waited for Marik.

"Hey Kura?"

"Yes Marik?"

"Can we get some drinks while we're in town? We don't get out enough."

"Marik…"

"Please? Please please please please please?"

Bakura smiled again. "Fine. If it makes you happy."

"Thank you!" Marik stood on his tiptoes and kissed Bakura full on the mouth. Bakura kissed him back. It became a battle of tongues, neither giving in to the other.

"Come on you two, or we'll never get there!" a voice floated back to them.

Bakura broke the kiss and glared in the general direction the voice had come from. "Shut up Yami!" A chorus of laughter echoed towards them. "And you Yugi!" Together they raced to the stable to get their horses.

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After half an hour, they finally reached the town. Staying careful so as not to burn their skin, they didn't remove the cloaks as they walked to the jail.

Upon entering, they found the guard asleep. "Pathetic," muttered Kaiba.

"Aw come on Seto. Don't be mean," said Jou, snuggling up to Kaiba.

"Will you two cut it out We're here for food. One for four each ought to do it right?" whispered Bakura.

"I don't know. Marik's pretty hungry, and Jou never meets a meal he doesn't want to eat." A soft voice spoke from the shadows beside Marik. He jumped.

"Shit Ryou, don't do that!"

Ryou bowed his head in apology. "Sorry," he said. The person next to him laughed, his light lavender eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Oh bug off Malik." Marik pouted again. Bakura rolled his eyes.

"Let's just get in, eat, and get out," he said forcefully.

"OK, OK…jeez…"

"Seto, Yami, Jou, Yugi, you guys go that way," he pointed left down the cool stone corridor. "Marik, Ryou, Malik? Follow me." He turned right. "Meet back here when you're finished."

They all smirked and left, soon fading into the darkness.

At the end of the hall, Bakura stopped before a cell with only one person in it. He smirked again. "Perfect." He stepped closer to the cell. The man looked up at them, his limp black hair falling into his eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded, his voice hoarse.

"It doesn't matter who we are," said Marik. He grabbed the bars of the cell's door. With one mighty heave of his muscles, he pulled it right off the hinges. The metal protested loudly as he leaned the now broken door against the wall. Bakura stepped into the cell, closely followed by Ryou and Malik.

As they neared the man, they could see the fear in his eyes. "So…who gets the first bite " asked Bakura.

Malik glanced at Marik. He smirked. "Maybe we should let Marik…he's practically drooling."

Ryou and Bakura laughed. Marik glared at him. "You'd be hungry too if you hadn't fed for days! This village is too small. We can't eat as often as we need to."

"Don't we know it," murmured Ryou.

"Can we just eat please?" interrupted Bakura.

The man looked absolutely terrified now. "E-eat what?" he stammered, voice shaky. "W-what are you tallkin' about?"

The four ignored him. Marik stood directly in front of the trembling prisoner. An evil leer crossed his face as he clamped one hand over the man's mouth to muffle his screams. Malik and Ryou each held one of his arms, and Bakura stood next to Marik. The man struggled futilely against the hands holding him still.

Marik opened his mouth and hissed, showing off two sharp, pointed fangs. He bent his head to the man's neck and paused. "Finally," he whispered.

The man screamed, or tried to, as Marik's teeth bit into his flesh, drawing blood. Marik eagerly lapped up the red liquid. As soon as he did, Bakura bit into the other side of his neck, while Ryou and Malik attacked his wrists.

Eventually, as the four vampires drank his blood, the man's body went limp. Marik shoved the corpse to the floor. "Ugh! That blood was foul!" he exclaimed, wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

Bakura full agreed. "Perhaps it was because he's a criminal."

Malik nodded. "You're probably right."

Bakura glanced into a corner of the cell. "Ryou?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. "Are you alright?"

The younger vampire sat on the floor, head in hands. "That was horrible. Let's find some purer blood or something to wash it out."

Marik grinned evilly. Bakura groaned-he didn't like that sly look. "What now Marik?"

"We should go to the bar. The alcohol will help wash out the nasty blood."

Bakura rolled his eyes. "I should have known you would drag alcohol into this somehow." Malik and Ryou snickered. "Very well Marik, we'll go. Though I don't see why you feel the need to indulge in liquor- we don't need to drink like mortals do."

Marik made a face at him. "I don't know, it's just nice to enjoy it once in a while."

"Fine. Let's meet up with the others and get going," Bakura replied.

They made their way back down the dark hallway. When they reached the meeting point, Bakura sighed. No one else was there. "How long does it take?" he muttered to himself.

"Give it up Bakura. Quit trying to sound all tough. It' quite sad." A voice came from behind Bakura.

Bakura smirked. "Too bad it's not an act, eh Kaiba?"

The others stepped out from the darkness. Jou was still licking the blood from his lips. "That was nasty," he said, mouth finally blood free.

"No shit. We're going to get some drinks to wash it out," replied Bakura.

"Sweet!" Jou shouted.

"Shut up!" Kaiba hissed, covering Jou's mouth with his hand. Yami and Yugi smirked.

"Let's just get out of here before we get caught," said Ryou.

"Agreed," said Bakura. "Let's go to the bar. Now."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "How many times are you going to say that before we actually leave?"

They all laughed. "After you," Bakura replied, bowing to the door. Kaiba left with a dramatic swish of his long black cloak, soon followed by the others.

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Jadira: whew! #Wipes sweat from forehead# Glad I'm finally done! This is actually only part of the first chapter, but it's too long so I'll post the next part soon.

Tate: Wow.

Jadira: You thought it was that good? Aww…

Tate: No, I thought it sucked.

Jadira: Meanie. I like it.

Tate: You're demented.

Jadira: Anyway, See the pretty purple button at the bottom of the page? Click it…You want to click the button…R&R, I live for 'em!

Tate: You need a life. Seriously.

Jadira: Go away.


	2. The New Girl

Jadira: Hey peoples. Sorry it took me so long to update. But like I said on my profile, one of my good friends recently committed suicide, and I've been taking it pretty hard. But I decided that I wanted to remember him as the funny guy he was, instead of thinking of him being dead. So I'm updating. Thanks to chibikuro rose-sama, ctaladywantya, and sweetchica55 for the reviews. You guys rock!

Tate: I need to get out more.

Jadira: You do the disclaimer.

Tate: What! No way!

Jadira: I'll tell them your secret…

Tate: 0-0 NOOOOO! OK, fine. She does not own Yu-gi-oh. But she's totally obsessed with it.

Jadira: Thank you. Now, on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh, wish though I may.

Chapter Two: The new girl 

When they entered the pub and pulled off their hoods, the entire building went quiet. Marik smirked. "It would seem that our reputation precedes us."

Bakura grinned. "So it has.'

Yami glanced around for a minute. Spotting an empty table in the corner, he grabbed Yugi's hand and dragged the shorter man towards it. "We'll be over here," he called back to his friends.

"Don't be too loud-we're in a public place," Malik called after them, knowing Yami all too well. Yami turned his head back and stuck his tongue out while Malik tried to look innocent. Predictably, as soon as Yami and Yugi sat down, the people at the tables around theirs moved to different ones.

Bakura led the way for the rest of them to a table by the shuttered window. As they made their way to their seats, whispers followed them.

"…really strong…"

"...heard they're not human…"

"…threw a man twenty feet…"

Bakura and Marik smirked as they heard the titters. Ryou and Malik looked slightly uncomfortable, as did Jou, while Kaiba didn't react at all. They sat at the dingy table as a bored waitress sidled up to them, showing more skin than her clothes covered. "Can I get you boy's anythin'?" she drawled, hand on her hip.

"Six beers," replied Marik, tossing several coins towards her. She snatched it up and headed for the bar. Marik leaned back in his chair and propped his boot-clad feet on the table. Malik and Ryou pretended to gag at the stench of his feet. Bakura snickered.

"Do you ever bathe Marik?" he asked.

Marik smirked. "You of all people should know the answer to that Kura." He laughed at the light blush staining his lover's pale cheeks. Malik and Ryou raised their eyebrows, obviously confused.

"Dare I even ask?" Malik spoke up.

"Yes well-" Marik began.

"NO!" Bakura interrupted, covering Marik's mouth with one slim, pale hand. "I don't think they need to know about that. Besides, they're too young."

Ryou snorted. "Oh please Kura, we're not as innocent as we seem." Malik emphasized the point by slinging an arm around Ryou's shoulders and pointedly nibbling his neck. Bakura's muddy eyes widened slightly-he'd had no idea the two were together! The teens giggled at his look of bewilderment.

The barmaid suddenly plopped their drinks in front of them. They each grabbed one, Ryou sniffing a bit at his. Kaiba smirked at him. Marik sighed and raised his mug. "Well, here's to centuries as a vamp."

"Cheers," echoed Bakura. Ryou and Malik clinked their mugs together; all of the people at their table suddenly developing depressed looks. The six companions took long swigs of alcohol and sighed again. They sat in silence for a moment until a sudden commotion outside drew them from their thoughts.

"Stupid girl! Get back here!" a slurred voice was shouting.

Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Stay here," he ordered his friends. "I'll be just a minute." None of the others dared protest, knowing how Bakura was. He hated when men picked on women. Kaiba shrugged. Bakura called it honor-Kaiba called it weak.

Bakura stepped out into the bustling street, keeping to the shadows. Barely a moment later, someone bumped into him and fell to the ground.

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The girl raced through the marketplace, expertly weaving and dodging through the crowd. A loud voice followed her.

"Stupid girl! Get back here!"

The girl ignored him and continued to run. She glanced over her shoulder, still running. Suddenly, she ran into something solid and rough. She fell to the ground with a groan.

The girl glared up at the incriminating object, eyes widening a bit.

Above her stood a tall, imposing figure in a long black cloak. His hood was thrown off, revealing long, spiky white hair, extremely pale skin, and brown eyes with a hint of red. He looked slightly confused.

She gasped. This man (if he could truly be called a man) and his companions were well known around the village. They were much stronger than an average human, and were said to have unpredictable and bad tempers.

"Girl! I'll get you this time! You'll regret this!" the voice shouted again, this time closer.

The girl glanced behind her, terror evident in her features, still sitting on the ground. When she glanced forwards, she was startled to see a pale hand sticking in front of her.

She stared at the man's hand with trepidation. He nodded and spoke, his voice laced with a slight accent. "I wish only to help you."

The girl was still slightly in shock as she grasped his hand and was heaved to her feet.

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Bakura clenched the girl's hand and pulled her to her feet. He took a moment to look over her.

She had long, light chestnut hair with gold streaks running through it, which she wore in a long braid that hung halfway down her back. She kept her eyes lowered, staring at the ground. She wore a long, simple dress of white linen with a slit up either side, showing part of her shapely legs. Her skin was tanned slightly, seeming to glow in the setting sun. Her hands were tied tightly in front of her, a long piece of rope trailing from the knot like a leash.

Bakura's thoughts were interrupted as the owner of the voice caught up to them. "Fucking girl! Get back here!" A man with dark tan skin loped up to them. A mop of black hair fell into his dark eyes. He was obviously drunk.

Bakura's lip curled in obvious contempt.

The girl looked frightened. She backed up until she bumped into Bakura again. He was a bit surprised at her reaction, and wondered who the man was. He decided to voice his thoughts. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded coldly.

The man glared at him. "None o' ya damn business," he snarled, words till slurred.

Bakura growled and stepped forward. He grabbed the front of the man's rough tunic and lifted him several inches off the ground. The man's eyes widened ion fear.

"I'll ask just once more," Bakura growled. "Who the _hell _are you?"

"The name's Yutaro," the man replied rudely. "And that little slut is m'neice.

The girl kept her head bowed and didn't respond.

Yutaro suddenly leaped for the girl and tried to garb her arm. There was a sudden bright flash of lavender light, and Yutaro was thrown backwards. He and Bakura stared at the girl. She looked just as bewildered as they did.

"What did you _do _?" Yutaro growled. The girl didn't respond. He snarled again.

Bakura spoke up. "That's it! If this girl is so troublesome for you, why don't I take her?"

"What are you talking about?" replied Yutaro, still a bit drunk.

"I'll take her as a servant. I'll even pay you," Bakura said, removing several gold coins from a pocket and tossing them to the vile man.

Yutaro glanced from the coins to the girl, a doubtful expression on his face. Bakura stepped forward and lowered his voice. "Were I in your position, I would accept. Refusing me is not wise."

The man nodded, mind made up. He snatched up the coins and turned to go. But before he could walk off, Bakura called after him, "What's her name?" he asked.

Yutaro stared at him, perplexion written all over hi features. "Jaide." He ran off into the crowd.

"Jaide," Bakura echoed, glancing down at the girl again. "Goodness. A fitting name." He picked up the discarded length of rope and led Jaide to the pub where his friends waited.

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Jaide felt nervous but relieved as she followed her new 'master' through town. They entered the inn again, and were greeted by a relatively large group of people. Bakura noticed that Yami and Yugi had joined the others at their original table.

As Bakura sat down, Jaide took a minute to observe the group. Bakura sat next to a tall man with dark skin, spiked platinum blonde hair, and dark lavender eyes with hints of red. Across from them sat two shorter men who looked slightly younger. They looked almost exactly like the men across from them, but their hair was less wild, and their eyes held no red.

At one end of the pine wood table sat another pair of look-alikes. The taller one had tri-colored hair, black and red, with gold streaks running through it. His eyes were a deep crimson. The much shorter man next to him had the same hair, but only his bangs were gold. His eyes were violet, and he had an air of innocence.

The last two companions sat opposite them. The taller one had brown hair, cold blue eyes, and what seemed like a permanent frown. Snuggling up to him was a blonde with amber eyes, blonde hair, and was obviously playful, as he kept nibbling the brunette's ear lobe. The brunette had an arm around the blonde's shoulders.

Bakura's accented voice cut through the chatter of his friends. "Everyone, shut up for a second! I'd like to introduce you to Jaide. "I just bought her from her uncle." He waved a hand towards Jaide.

"Jaide, this is Ryou-" his look-alike, "Marik-" the taller platinum blonde, "Malik-" the shorter platinum blonde, "Yami-" the red-eyed fellow, "Yugi-" the short one, "Seto, or Kaiba, whichever-" the brunette, "Jounouchi, but call him Jou-" the blonde, "And I'm Bakura."

Jaide nodded, quickly lowering her gaze to the dirty floorboards.

"You can sit if you want," said the one called Yugi, grinning at her. She shook her head. Yugi shrugged and went back to talking with his companions.

"So what should we do with her?" Marik asked rather heartlessly. "It's not like we need a slave."

"Don't call her a slave," Bakura snapped. "She'll be our servant and help clean up around the manor. Gods knows we nee it." He muttered the last part.

Marik rolled his eyes. "Maybe we should give her to Duke when he gets back," he said. "He gets so lonely, he could use a pleasure slave."

Bakura shrugged in response, not noticing Yami's frown. "Sure he can have her. It's up to him what to do with her."

"When's Duke getting' back anyway?" asked Jou.

"A few days," Kaiba replied. "Him and his stupid 'business trips.' It's not like it's actually business."

Malik and Marik snickered. "Yeah, we all know he goes to see the ladies."

Yugi and Ryou frowned at them. "No, he told us he can't stand being here," said Yugi.

"What? Why not?" questioned Yami.

"Well," began Ryou. "He says he doesn't like being around us all because we're all together, and he's got no one."

"Oh…" they all frowned unhappily.

Gradually, the conversation drifted to random topics, while Jaide stood stoically and silently, seeming rooted to the spot. It was nearly six o'clock by the time the men were finished with their drinks, and the sun had long since set.

Bakura stood and stretched his arms before laying several coins on the table to pay for the drinks. Then he turned to Jaide, still standing in the same spot. He glanced at her feet, then turned back around to face Ryou. "Can you and Malik go and buy her some sandals? She may be our servant, but walking on the hot sands with bare feet is just cruel." The two nodded and accepted another few coins from Bakura's pocket.

"We'll meet you back at the manor," said Malik. The others nodded and headed for the stables where they had left their horses.

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Ryou and Malik led Jaide through the lantern-lit marketplace. Every so often, she would hear one of them muttering sweet utterances to each other. Finally the cheerful couple stopped in front of a small tent displaying many different pairs of shoes. Ryou and Malik skipped towards the nearest shelf and started examining the shoes.

Jaide hung back by the entrance, unused to seeing sop many nice things. She was unsure of what to do.

"Jaide, what about these-Jaide?" Ryou turned while holding a pair of sandals, looking for the girl. He scowled when he realized that she was standing outside, head still bowed. Ryou handed the shoes to Malik and went over to Jaide.

"Why don't you come with me and Malik and pick out a pair?" he asked gently.

Jaide bit her lip and nervously followed Ryou back to where Malik stood. Wordlessly, he handed her the sandals, and wordlessly, she slipped them on her feet. She took several steps after tying them on, and nodded her approval at the soft feel of the leather. 'They're so soft!' she mused to herself. Ryou handed the coins to the shopkeeper and left, holding onto Malik's hand. Jaide followed, trying not to trip over the rope still trailing from her wrists.

Several stars had sprouted in the sky by the time they reached the horses, so Ryou and Malik were able to walk freely without their protective cloaks. They paid the stable boy, and both had already mounted their respective horses-Ryou's a chestnut roan, and Malik's a gray mare-before they realized that Jaide had no horse.

Ryou took pity on the girl and leaped off his horse. He held out his hand to her and smiled. "You can ride with me," he said.

Jaide nodded and Ryou frowned again. 'Why won't she speak?' he wondered. Before helping Jaide onto the horse, he pulled a small but sharp knife from the folds of his robe. He took a step towards the girl, but stopped when he saw her flinch and shy away from him. Her heart was beating wildly while she wondered, 'Is he going to kill me?'

Ryou scowled when she flinched, but took another step. "Don't fear me," he whispered. "I'll not harm you."

Jaide bit her lip. Deciding that she had nothing to lose, she held still, squeezing her eyes shut as he got closer.

Ryou reached out, and with one swift strike, cut through the bonds on her wrists.

Jaide stared down at her arms, then gratefully glanced up to Ryou. He smiled again and offered her a hand up onto the horse. "Hold on tight," he instructed as he sat in front of her. Jaide nodded and immediately latched onto him-she'd never ridden a horse before, and found her perch to be a bit too high off the ground.

Malik and Ryou kicked their heels into their horse's sides, and together they rode off into the desert.

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Jadira: Well, there's the second installment to my story. I hope you guys liked it.

Tate: I suppose since your friend just died, I'll be quiet for now. But have no fear…(in Arnold Schwarzenegger voice) I'll be back…

Jadira: 00 oookaaay……Well, y'all know what to do right? Press the button. It's so pretty…the pretty little button…. See ya next time!


	3. Caretaker

Jadira: I liiiiive!

Tate: Yay. She's back.

Jadira: Gotta love his enthusiasm, ne? Lol I have had a LLOT of sugar today, can't ya tell? Wheeee! Anyway, sorry it took me nearly a month to update. I posted the first chapter of a RyouxBakura fic, and a one-shot called Misunderstood. Check them out! Btw: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. Duh.

Chapter Three: Caretaker 

By the time the three companions reached the stables, Jaide was clinging to Ryou for dear life. The two rode like madmen!

After cooling the horses down the two young men led Jaide into the house. They heard the voices of their friends in the living room and went to join them.

"You can look around if you want, said Ryou. "Just don't go in any of the upstairs bedrooms. The doors should be shut anyway, so just ignore them."

Jaide nodded and glanced around the magnificent entry hall. A thick red carpet lay beneath her feet. The walls were painted a dark crimson color, and all of the windows were covered with heavy black drapes. Numerous candles lit up the house, casting an eerie glow about the place. A further inspection of several other rooms revealed that all the windows were likewise covered.

Meanwhile, the men were al lounging in the living room. "She's pretty," Yugi piped up.

"Hm?" mumbled Bakura, still feeling a buzz in his head from the potent alcohol.

"That new servant. She's pretty," he repeated.

Ryou nodded. "I just want to know why she won't look up. Her eyes are always on the ground. And she hasn't spoken a word since we got her."

"I want to know what her eyes look like," said Malik. The others stared at him and he shrugged. "Just curious," he mumbled.

Another silence, though they still heard Jaide looking around the downstairs rooms.

"Well, I'm off to bed," said Marik, standing up and stretching his stiff muscles. "You coming?" he asked Bakura.

Bakura nodded. "In a few." Marik made his way to the stairs, although he was weaving slightly. They listened to him thump upstairs.

Suddenly, a loud thud was heard. "Ouch!" They all raced to the bottom of the stairs, where Bakura and Malik promptly burst into laughter. Yami, Yugi, and Ryou all tried to hold back their laughs alongside Jou, but couldn't help the sniggers that escaped their lips. Even Kaiba laughed.

Marik was sprawled about halfway up the stairs, evidently having fallen.

"Perhaps we gave him a bit too much to drink?" suggested Ryou.

Bakura thought about it for a moment and had to agree that his look-alike was absolutely right. He nodded vigorously, still laughing.

"Would y'all shut up and help me?" Marik shouted, words still slurred with drink. They all laughed even harder.

Jaide stood at the top of the staircase. Usually when her uncle was drunk, she avoided him at all costs. But now, she felt sorry for Marik, so she stepped gently down to where he lay. Marik's head jerked up as he felt her fingers brush his shoulder.

Marik grunted as Jaide helped him to his feet. His head was pounding. Her strength surprised him. The others stared, dumbfounded, as Jaide slowly helped Marik up the stairs.

When the unlikely pair made it to the large upstairs hall, Marik pointed with a slightly trembling hand. "That one," he rasped. "The second one in from the top. Jaide nodded and pushed open the door. A fast glance showed that heavy drapes covered these windows as well.

The girl bowed her head as Bakura stepped in and went immediately to his lover's side. "Are you OK?" he asked gently, perched on the edge of the bed.

Marik nodded and blinked. "Will you come to bed now koi?" Bakura smiled and curled up under the covers next to Marik. Jaide bowed and left the room, leaving the two to their fun.

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The following morning, they all got a rude awakening.

"I'm ho-ome!"

Yami rolled over in bed and groaned, hugging Yugi closer to him. "Dammit," he mumbled. "He's back."

The voice yelled out again. "What, no welcoming committee?"

Downstairs, a tall man with pale skin, long black hair, and shining green eyes suddenly stumbled across Jaide. Literally. He nearly tripped over her where she lay on the floor, fast asleep.

The motion had startled Jaide awake. She blinked sleepily and glanced up. Upon seeing Duke staring at her, her eyes widened and she quickly got to her feet.

Duke raised one delicate eyebrow. "Who are you?" he demanded.

Jaide didn't respond. Her gaze was fixed on the floor again. Duke frowned, but didn't ask again. Instead he shouted, "Bakura! Yami! Get your scrawny asses down here!" Jaide flinched at the sheer volume of his voice.

Upstairs, Yugi grinned silently as Yami rolled out of bed, mumbling something about it being "too fucking early."

Bakura curled into his lover. Marik smiled and whispered, "Come on koi, get up."

"Don' wanna."

"You have to. Up, up, up."

"Five more minutes."

"Nope. Now." With a slight grunt of effort, Marik shoved Bakura's slim body out of the bed. Bakura hit the floor with a thud and a groan of protest. Marik chuckled as Bakura stood and stumbled wearily towards the door.

As soon, as the door shut, he fell back into bed - his head was **throbbing.** "Fucking hangover," he muttered. Within moments, he was fast asleep again.

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Meanwhile, Duke was greeted with angry glares from Yami, Bakura, Malik, and Ryou. Apparently the latter two had been woken up by his yells.

Duke gave them all an innocent look. "What did I do?" he asked.

Yami rolled his eyes. "What's your problem now Duke? Did you forget the way to your bedroom or something?"

"Ha ha. Funny. No you dipshit, I know exactly where my bedroom is thank you very much. And I'm sure you do as well." The ebon-haired man winked suggestively and Yami playfully hit his shoulder.

"Shut up you pervert. Seriously, what the _hell _do you want? I'm tired and I want to get back to Yugi.

Duke shrugged. "I just wanted to know who the girl is."

"Her name's Jaide," said Ryou. "Bakura bought her yesterday when we had to go into town for some, ahem, errands."

"Oh." Duke nodded in understanding.

"I figured she'd make a decent servant," Bakura spoke. "Like I said to the others yesterday, you can have her for a bed slave."

Duke turned to look at Jaide, and was slightly amused to see a scowl cross her delicate features at Bakura's words.

Yami frowned. He didn't like the thought of anyone being used in such a way.

Duke's eyes roved over Jaide's slender figure. 'She is beautiful,' he thought to himself. He ran a finger down her cheek, gently caressing her tan skin.

In response to the unwanted touch, Jaide tried to bite his fingers. "Shit!" Duke swore as he jerked his hand back, eyes wide with surprise. Yami burst into laughter, soon followed by Bakura, Ryou, and Malik.

"Why you little…" Duke went to slap the impertinent girl, but Yami's hand caught his just in time. Duke glanced at him, confused, but the other merely nodded towards Jaide.

When Duke had raised his fist to strike her, Jaide flinched and shrank away until her back hit the wall. Her eyes – the color of which was still unknown – were fixed on the floor as usual.

Duke's emerald eyes softened a bit and he stepped closer. "I'm sorry," he said gently. "I shouldn't have tried to hit you."

Jaide frowned distrustfully. 'Why should I believe _that _?' she thought. 'That's exactly what _he _said to us when-' she cut herself off. That subject was too painful to even think about.

Bakura and Duke both noticed the slight flicker of hurt that crossed Jaide's face, but neither understood the source.

"Anyway," said Duke, shattering the uncomfortable silence. "I don't need nor do I want a bed slave. She can just help out around the manor."

Yami hid his approving smile. He knew his friend would make the right choice.

Bakura shrugged. "Whatever," he muttered before turning to Ryou and Malik. Since yesterday, he was not altogether surprised to see the two locked in a kiss, both battling for dominance. Malik was winning. The older man shook his head with a smirk and turned back to Duke.

"…and so I came back here in such a rush, and now I'm hungry," Duke was saying. "I'll go into town later tonight when it gets darker."

Yami looked slightly apprehensive, but said nothing. Although he and the others had (tried) to drink the previous day, Duke hadn't. And he needed the blood tom live.

"Why not drink from that girl?" asked Kaiba as he came downstairs with Jou.

"Because you idiot, she'd tiny," hissed Duke. "She's barely five and a half feet. And besides," he added, "she's not my personal drinking cup or something."

Kaiba shrugged and headed for the living room to cuddle with his puppy.

Duke frowned. What he hadn't mentioned was the strange feeling he got in the pit of his stomach whenever he looked at Jaide. It felt like a horde of butterflies was nesting there, and he wasn't particularly sure he liked it.

Meanwhile, Ryou was speaking to Jaide. "Why don't you check out the library?" he suggested, grinning when Jaide seemed to like the idea. "You could read a book and dust a bit."

Jaide nodded and followed Ryou and Malik out of the room. Both Bakura and Yami murmured something about going back to bed. They both went upstairs, leaving Duke to his strange feelings.

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Jadira: OK, I hope you guys liked this chapter. I worked pretty hard on it, but next chapter should be _really _good. I can't wait to actually type it.

Tate: The suspense is killing me.

Jadira: sigh. I don't' know how I put up with him. R&R!


	4. Idiocy

Jadira: Okay, first of all, a thank you to my reviewers, chibikuro rose-sama, Rockinmuffin, and natalie. You guys are so sweet! As usual, it's taken me a while to update because as cool as this chapter is, it took me a while to write. I was to busy reading other people's fics!

Tate: That is so sad. You won't update your own, but you'll read other people's.

Jadira: They inspire me shut up. On with the fic!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh. Geez, one would think you'd all have figured this out by now…

Chapter Four: Idiocy 

When Duke woke several hours after he'd gone to bed, it was nearly two o'clock in the morning. He already felt weak and dizzy. It had been nearly two weeks since he'd last managed to get blood, and now he needed more. Badly. A vampire usually 'ate' every few days. If they went too long without feeding, they could literally waste away. Duke ran a hand through his hair, tied it back in its usual ponytail, and went downstairs.

He'd nearly reached the front door when he suddenly noticed a small beam of light coming from a half-open door. Recognizing it as the library, Duke decided to investigate. Peeking around the thick mahogany door, he was vaguely surprised to see Jaide curled up in a chair with a heavy book settled in her lap.

After a slight glance around, Duke grinned with slight amusement. A candle sat on the table next to Jaide, casting its glow so her light chestnut hair seemed almost golden. A small stack of books also sat on the table, placed meticulously far enough from the candle so the dry pages wouldn't catch fire.

Duke stood in the doorway for another moment, doing nothing except watching Jaide. Her face had a look of total concentration. Her eyes were, for once, fixed on something other than the floor. For the first time since Duke had seen her several hours ago, she seemed…relaxed.

Duke gave a small, soft smile before he turned on his heel and left for the village, trying to ignore his suddenly racing heart.

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Duke licked his lips and smiled almost sadistically. For the last forty-five minutes, he'd been following his meal around the village. She was tall with dark skin and hair, a plump body, and plenty of blood flowing through her veins. She was scantily clad-probably a whore on her way home after a long night.

Not much longer now. They'd reached a remote, nearly deserted part of the village. Duke stood hidden within the shadows of an alley a few yards ahead of his unsuspecting prey.

Just as she strolled by his small alcove, a pale hand darted out and tugged her into the darkness with inhuman strength. She barely had the chance to scream before she was spun around to face her captor. Black eyes widened with fear and trepidation as she saw Duke's emerald eyes gleaming at her hungrily. Sharp, slender pointed canines glistened as he bent his head to her neck.

Duke's eyes closed as he felt the life giving blood leave her body. His fangs sank into the tender flesh, the woman's body slowly weakening as he drank her blood. Even as she grew weaker, Duke felt the strength returning to his limbs. Gods, he'd needed this.

Finally, he felt her go completely still. He lowered her body to the ground and casually licked his lips before leaving. Glancing at the horizon, Duke was slightly alarmed to see the beginning of pre-dawn's light showing. If he wanted to make it back to the manor before sunrise, he'd have to leave now and not stop for anything.

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side. He was stopped as he left the village by a surly guard who demanded to know who he was and what business he had being about so late.

"I am called Sayid. I was…" Duke paused and grinned, being careful not to show his fangs. "I was with a woman. Now I am going home." He smirked to himself. 'It's true enough I guess,' he thought wryly.

"Well, alright then. But be careful, you never know what kind of creeps are out at this time of night." The guard waved him on.

"Never know indeed." Duke chuckled and went on his way.

He was almost halfway home when the sun began to rise. Cursing in Egyptian, the worried vampire ran faster, trying to make it back before a ray of light hit his pale skin. It was almost five o'clock in the morning when the manor finally came into view. Unfortunately, so did the sun.

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Jaide was still in the library, dozing on the chair where Duke had seen her before he left. Her long chestnut braid lay across her shoulder. Suddenly, a noise woke her up. She sat bolt upright in the chair, the heavy book falling to the floor, forgotten. The sound came again, an unearthly howl filled with agony and fear. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest with the utter shock of the cry.

Jaide stepped gingerly to the window and moved the curtain aside an inch or two. Her eyes widened.

Outside stood Duke, back bent in anguish as the rays of sun hit his body. He screamed again, completely helpless. He was paralyzed with pain, he couldn't move to safety. He fell to his knees, pale skin blistering with painful-looking burns.

Making a split-second decision, Jaide backed up several steps. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and ran at the window. As she fell, the glass shattered with a most satisfying sound. Miraculously, none of it cut Jaide's skin. She landed nimbly, with the grace of a cat, on the sand several yards below.

Duke lay where he'd fallen, skin completely burnt where his clothes didn't cover it. His eyes were squeezed shut, pain contorting his aquiline features. Jaide grabbed his upper arms and he suddenly mumbled something incoherent. He grabbed her arm, and she looked down.

Even in his delirium, Duke's mind seemed to snap to attention for a moment. He found himself gazing up into eyes of a paler blue than winter's ice, a deeper cerulean than the ocean's waters. They were a myriad of varying shades of blue, all mingling together. He was drowning in their depths…

Jaide didn't know what to do when Duke suddenly went limp in her arms. Glancing frantically around, she realized the stables were closer than the front door of the house. Making up her mind, she started dragging the taller man towards the safety of shade.

Inside the house, Yami and Bakura sat up straight n the living room where they'd been lounging with their lovers when they heard the window shatter. "What in Ra's name was that?" asked Malik; Ryou curled up on his lap. Kaiba and Jou were in their bedroom, doing only the God's know what.

"I don't know," answered Yami. He glanced at Bakura. "But I think we should check it out." They all nodded and donned their sun-protective cloaks. Once they were all properly covered, they went outside.

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Jaide propped Duke against one of the rough wood walls, brushing a strand of raven colored hair out of his closed eyes. She felt helpless; she had no idea what to do to help the man. Her deep blue eyes suddenly found the knife he wore in a leather sheath at his belt. She wrapped her slender fingers around it and tugged it free.

The wide stable doors suddenly opened again. There stood Yami, Bakura, Malik, Marik, Ryou, and Yugi, all wrapped carefully in their black cloaks. Yami stepped forward nervously at the sight of Jaide holding the dagger, looking for all the world as though she was ready to stab Duke.

"You can't kill him like that you know," said Yami.

Jaide cast him a contemptuous glare, and they all realized she'd finally let them see her eyes. The icy blue they were made Kaiba's look like dull crayons.

Jaide suddenly lifted the dagger and took another deep breath. She dragged the shiny blade horizontally across her wrist, allowing only a slight gasp of pain as the blood welled. By now she'd realized that he was a vampire and needed blood to live, and although he'd just had a 'meal,' the sun's burns had sapped what little strength he had left after the long run home.

Jaide held her arm to Duke's lips and tilted his head back, urging him to drink. The scent of fresh blood seemed to have roused him, as he immediately grabbed her forearm and greedily lapped up her sweet blood. Jaide groaned, as she suddenly felt extremely dizzy. Her normally tan skin seemed paler somehow. All the while, Yami and the others stood at the doors in shock. They couldn't believe she was actually helping Duke.

Finally, the vampire had his fill, his wounds already beginning to heal. He fell backwards, completely unconscious. Jaide's breath came in short gasps. She leaned against the wall for a moment before she too collapsed.

Her fall jarred Bakura and the others into action. They gathered up Jaide and Duke's limp bodies and carried them inside after they'd covered Duke with his own cloak for protection.

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Eyes opened slowly, trying to bring the blurry vision into focus. He blinked and could suddenly see. The room was dark, save for several candles placed on various tables. Duke sat straight up in bed, suddenly remembering the earlier events. Gods, he didn't even know what time it was, or even the day.

A gentle but firm hand suddenly pushed him back down onto the bed. "Lay still," whispered Yami. "You're not yet fully healed."

"How long have I been out?" Duke asked, voice gone slightly hoarse. Yami chuckled.

"You have been unconscious for four days."

Duke was astonished. "Then why aren't I weak? I'd have needed more blood, especially with all the burns I have…" He felt his face with suddenly smooth hands. "My burns!" he exclaimed. "They're gone!"

Yami smiled. "Yes, your burns are gone. But you still need rest."

Duke rolled his eyes. "But tell me friend, how can I still feel this strong? If I've been out as long as you say, I should be much weaker."

Yami stepped gracefully to the side. "You're forgetting one thing, my brother." As he moved, Duke could see a small figure laid out beneath a blanket on the floor. With a start, he realized it was Jaide. She seemed paler than usual, but other than that seemed to be fine as far as he could see.

"What's she doing in my room?" Duke demanded. Yami wanted to slap him.

"What's she doing in here?" he hissed back. "She's saving your life you ungrateful bastard!" He suddenly strode over to her and lifted the girl easily from her makeshift bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Just shut up and hold on a minute," Yami replied, settling Jaide's slight frame on the edge of Duke's large bed. He gently lifted her arm turned it so Duke could see her wrist. The usually unshakable vampire recoiled in shock.

"What happened to her?" he asked, still staring. For on the teen's wrist was a deep horizontal cut. "Did she try to kill herself or something?"

"You idiot!" Yami exclaimed as he laid Jaide back onto the blanket. "She gave herself that cut when she dragged you out of the sun four days ago. She's been giving you her blood whenever she wakes up, and she doesn't stop until she passes out again."

Duke's emerald eyes were wide with surprise. "But…why would she do that?" he stammered.

"I have no idea," said Yami. "But you'll have to wait until she wakes up to ask her." He turned and left the room, calling back, "I'll be with Yugi. Give a yell if you need anything."

Duke nodded dumbly and sat back in the bed, pondering any possible reason why Jaide would have helped him, each more unlikely than the last.

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Jadira: Whew. Glad I finally got that finished. I really liked this chapter, so please don't flame me. I don't mind constructive criticism and helpful hints, but I _detest _flamers.

Tate: Je deteste vous.

Jadira: Oh shut the hell up. You probably don't even know what that means. Anywise, R&R please!


	5. Shocking Voices

Jadira: Alrighty then…Sorry it took so long for me to update, but like I said in my profile, I just moved and haven't had Internet service for two weeks since the move. Suffice it to say I was not happy about that.

Tate: You were just upset because you couldn't check your e-mail and read your reviews, which made you mad because your reviews make you feel special. Which, by the way, you're not.

Jadira: So mean. Well, onwards with the story!

Disclaimer: Ownership of Yu-gi-oh not mine. Stop asking.

Chapter Five: Shocking Voices

Jaide stirred slightly on the cot where she had lain for the past half a week. The opened her eyes and blinked blearily, glancing automatically towards the large bed where Duke was. She sighed when she noticed he'd still not woken, and stumbled to her feet, already reaching for the knife, ever-ready on the small oak table.

Dizziness overwhelmed her though, and she had to lean against the wall to stop herself from falling over. Jaide supposed she could credit it towards blood loss–she'd given so much of her own to keep Duke alive, and she didn't even know why. She was his slave, a possession. She was not supposed to care. And she didn't, she told herself, not really. She was just intrigued. The man seemed different from everything she'd ever heard about vampires, and she didn't want him to die. Not yet anyway.

Kneeling on the bed next to Duke's still form and steeled herself for the pain. She swung the knife down and re-opened the cut. Sucking in a gasp at the onslaught of hurt, she held her trembling wrist to Duke's lips.

This time however, unlike the past days she'd done the same thing, Duke's emerald eyes opened and stared up into her own surprised blue eyes. He instinctively grabbed her arm, unintentionally covering her wound. "What in Ra's name are you doing?" Duke managed to rasp out, mouth dry for lack of water.

Jaide seemed frightened, her breath coming in short, soft gasps. Her wrist was already hurting from the constant re-openings of the injury, and Duke's harsh grasp wasn't helping. Memories flitted across her memory, painful memories that served only to hurt her more.

Duke frowned at the anguish he saw in those seemingly endless blue orbs. He released the girl's arm and sat up. "I'll ask only once more," he reiterated, "What the hell are you doing?"

"I-" Jaide stuttered, eyes going wider when Duke would have sworn they couldn't have gotten any bigger. It suddenly hit him that this was the first time he'd ever heard the girl speak. "I-I'm sorry!" Jaide couldn't stop herself from speaking even though she'd not done so since…no. It was better to think of other things. "I meant no harm! Please, let me go!" She hated herself for begging, but couldn't really see any way to get the man to release her. He was so strong!

Duke was mesmerized by her voice. It was soft, but not whispering; melodious as a bard's, lilting in a very Egyptian accent. He would listen to her talking about the most boring topic in the world if only he could hear her voice.

Jaide grew uncomfortable as the man said nothing. Perhaps she should not have spoken. She cursed herself; she hadn't spoken since her uncle had- no. She stopped herself. She could not think about that. "Master," she whispered, hating the word, hating herself for saying it, "I am sorry. I was trying to help."

Duke shook himself out of his reverie, glancing at her strangely. Jaide sat with her head bowed and eyes veiled as she had when Duke had first seen her. "Yes I know. Yami told me what you've been doing." Jaide swallowed nervously, unsure if it was a good or bad thing that she'd helped him out of the sun. "Why did you do it?" Duke asked gently. "Why did you save me? And how did you even know what I am?"

Jaide raised her head and gave Duke a look that he could only have termed as slight amusement. "I knew from the beginning. You all may try to hide it, but I see much. And…I could sense it." Her voice was barely above a whisper, rough with emotion and confusion. Why hadn't the man hit her for her insolence yet? "As for why I saved you? I don't know. You don't seem evil. Besides, no one deserves to die in such a way. It looks rather painful." She spoke the last sentence in a dry tone, causing Duke to chuckle.

"Well, you have my thanks."

Jaide shook her head. "No. I am your slave. It is my job to protect my master. I was given to you remember?" She asked somewhat bitterly, her heart clenching at the words. She'd tried long ago to fight her position, claiming she belonged to no one. She'd quickly found that to be an incredibly painful proclamation.

Duke frowned. This girl had been hurt before. Badly hurt. Her spirit had almost broken, he could tell. "That's not true," he said. "I don't condone slavery, and neither do my friends."

Jaide jerked her head up, glaring at the man. The sudden fire in her icy eyes startled Duke. "Is that so?" she asked viciously. "Then why is it that my life is worth only a few coins? Why is it that I was _given_ to you- as though my life means nothing!" Tears welled in her eyes, though she would not let them fall.

Duke slowly grasped her smaller hands in his own. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to upset you. Your life is worth more than coins, surely you know that."

Jaide's glare did not soften. "Then why did your friend, Bakura, buy me from my uncle, drag me here, away from everything I've ever known, and give me to you? What do you want with me?"

Duke struggled to find an answer, but Jaide spoke again before he could find one. "And contrary to his belief, I will _not_ be used like a common whore to warm your bed. You will have to kill me first."

If she hadn't seemed so ferocious, Duke might have laughed. "Not to worry," he said. "As much as I don't condone slavery, I despise men who use women in such a way."

Jaide stared at him, unsure if she should believe him. People lied, why should this man be any different?

Duke saw the deep mistrust in her eyes. "I'll wager that you've been hurt before." He spoke softly, but it still shocked Jaide. She shot off the bed faster than humanly possible and backed away. "Yes," Duke continued, "You've been hurt deeply. Perhaps not in such a way," he said referring to the bed-slave situation. "But you've been abused by another man before, and it has marked your soul."

Jaide glared at him, memories overwhelming her. She gasped for breath, tears obscuring her vision. This time she could not stop them from falling. Duke stood and reached for her, causing the girl to back away until she hit the wall. He wiped a crystalline tear from her tan cheek, frowning deeper when she flinched.

His next words were a whisper. "I promise, you'll not be hurt again. You're safe here, no man will lay his hands on you."

For some reason, Jaide trusted his word. She nodded slightly and smiled. "It is good that you are well now," she said in a wry tone. "Otherwise I'd have had to give you even more of my blood, which I would very much like to keep inside my body." Duke laughed at her next words. "Not all of us are immortal you know!"

In only a moment or two, Jaide felt a thousand times better than she had in a very long while. She smiled to herself, glad to finally feel safe. She followed Duke downstairs, ready to face the others with her head held high.

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Bakura glanced up as Duke came down the stairs, slightly surprised, but happy, to see his friend awake. He was even more surprised however, when he noticed Jaide trailing after the green-eyed vampire. Nudging Ryou with an elbow, he nodded towards the two.

Jaide could feel everyone's eyes on her. Instincts told her to look at the ground, as was her wont. Attention never meant anything good. Luckily, Yami sensed her discomfort and spoke. "Duke, seeing as you're awake, what do you think of going into town today? It has gotten boring around here, and the others wish to look through the market."

Duke considered it. His friend was right; it was boring at the manor. And leaving gave him the chance to speak with Jaide, as they were the only ones not 'with' anyone. He nodded. "Sure. Jaide," he asked, turning to face her. "Do you want to come?" 'Say yes,' he thought. 'Please say yes!'

Uncertain, Jaide glanced towards the other men lounging in various chairs. Yugi and Ryou grinned encouragingly, Yami smiled softly, Marik and Malik were grinning maniacally as usual, Bakura looked stone-faced, and Kaiba and Jou were…busy. We'll leave it at that. The girl's lips quirked into a half-smile. "Very well," she almost whispered, startling the others.

Raising an eyebrow but saying nothing, Yami glanced at Duke for an answer, but the taller man merely shrugged and went to grab his cloak. "Jaide, would you like something nicer to wear tonight?" Yami asked her, standing and heading for the stairs. The girl looked shocked, but nodded her head. It would be good to get out of the dress she'd been wearing for so long. Following the slim man upstairs, she wondered why in Ra's name male vampires would have female clothes.

Entering a dark violet room with soft-looking cushions covering the floor, Yami opened a trunk at the end of his bed and pulled out a long ivory dress. Jaide's eyes widened as he handed it to her. The fabric was softer than she'd ever imagined anything could be, delicate and shimmery in the candlelight. Yami politely turned his back as she tugged it on.

Jaide brushed the skirt to smooth out imaginary wrinkles and whispered, "I'm done." Yami turned and caught his breath. The fabric draped across Jaide's tan skin, causing the white to seem even brighter. It hugged her in all the right places, showing her slender body without being provocative. She looked like an angel.

Jaide shifted uncomfortably. Again with the damn silences! "Does it look alright?" she asked softly.

Yami nodded dumbly. He chanted a mantra in his mind, 'I'm gay, I'm gay, I'm gay…' He caught a flicker of Yugi's amusement through their telepathic link. "You look fantastic," he told Jaide. "But maybe you should wear your hair down?"

Jaide nodded slowly. "Alright. If you say so." Yami grinned and asked Yugi to get Ryou to come upstairs. Seconds later, there was a knock on the door and Ryou stepped in.

"Something you needed Yami?" he asked, smiling at Jaide.

"Yes, I need you to brush out Jaide's hair for her. You do it better than anybody around here," Yami replied, handing Ryou a wooden brush. The white-haired man smiled gently and sat behind Jaide on the bed, un-doing her long braid with sure, deft fingers. Once it was completely undone, he started brushing the chestnut strands until they shone nearly as bright as her smile. Grinning at each other for a job well done, the vampires led her back downstairs.

Duke turned around from his conversation with Malik and swore in that moment that his jaw hit the floor and his eyes bugged out of his head.

She was a vision sent from the God's themselves. Long hair with golden strands hung past her waist, the beautiful white dress set off her tan skin, and the kohl outlining her icy blue eyes made his heart beat faster than he ever remembered.

Jaide laughed softly at his reaction. Everything about her was soft; her voice, her hair, her stunning curves…Duke knew in that moment that there was something inside him that wanted her. Not as his whore, as his equal. His partner.

The group grinned with amusement at their friend's sudden infatuation. "Well Duke, when you've picked your jaw off the floor, may we go?" laughed Marik. Hurriedly collecting himself, the ebon-haired man pulled on his cloak and hurried outside to join the others.

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Jadira: Well, this is technically only the first part of chapter five, but oh well. Chapter six will be up very soon I promise. I'm sorry it took so long for this one.

Tate: Sure you are.

Jadira: Shuttup. Anyway, my account tells me this story has gotten 269 hits so far. Please leave a tiny comment if you read this. It helps keep me motivated. Thankies!


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